×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
How to convince people that anime is not only for kids?


Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next

Anime News Network Forum Index -> General -> Anime
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
AnimeCycle



Joined: 08 May 2013
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 11:15 am Reply with quote
Hi i have some friends who i really want to get into anime but they just say why would i watch a kiddy thing :/ i know they would love anime if they just gave it a chance so if you guys could give me some ideas
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Yttrbio
Subscriber



Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 3649
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 11:17 am Reply with quote
If they don't want to watch, why do you want to make them watch?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Touma



Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 2651
Location: Colorado, USA
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 11:31 am Reply with quote
If they refuse to watch it then it will really not matter what we suggest.
But if you can get them to try I think that it might be best to go with a movie that has had some general popularity.
Possibly Ghost in the Shell or Akira.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9807
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 11:37 am Reply with quote
Have them watch the dubbed version of Black Lagoon. It shouldn't take more then a couple of minutes of dialog before they realize that it is not for kids.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Ignatz





PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 11:42 am Reply with quote
[edit]

Last edited by Ignatz on Sat Nov 22, 2014 8:16 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
Tuor_of_Gondolin



Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 3524
Location: Bellevue, WA
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 12:32 pm Reply with quote
Show them Episode 1 of Cowboy Bebop.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail My Anime My Manga
Ringking



Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Posts: 338
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 12:35 pm Reply with quote
Highlight reel from Higurashi should do the job. Plenty of them on youtube.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15433
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 12:54 pm Reply with quote
*reads the topic name*
Show them some animated pornography.
Although then you might have trouble convincing them it is not just kids stuff and pornography, and I am not sure how to stop that misconception.

You just need to show them something mature, that is likely dubbed, and likely easily accessible to those not familiar with the style. I am trying to think of something fun that won't send the non anime fan-running. I mostly know about starting through If your friends can stand a "little" gore, Hellsing could be good, although some tolerance for swears would be needed.

For guys there can be various ecchi shows, but they usually require an already interest in anime, or the more sensible dramatic/romances that are characteristic of Key. So my advice is: blood, sexy, or tears. You would probably have a better idea at which they might prefer.

And if you want initial interest, perhaps a could find a couple AMVs to plead your case.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
TatsuGero23



Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 1277
Location: Sniper Island, USA (It's in your heart!)
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 1:11 pm Reply with quote
I would just say something like "Oh yeah, I know, its just like Spongebob. That scene where that one fish guy dies! Or the episode with the drug addicts and human slavery! Oh and when Spongebob goes to war and Patrick gets eaten alive and isn't in the show anymore! His death scene was awesome. Just like a kids cartoon."

But in all seriousness, a majority technically is for kids just that Japan has different standards and often incorporates kids 6 and under with the 7+ to Teen level too with a good number of series. Naruto and One Piece are for teens and younger kids but the amount of blood and violence could never be equaled in the Western standards of children's programming and get bumped up to a prime time, late night time block and rating or undergo editing to remove blood splats and dismemberment. Though standards have loosen up to the point where they show bleeding and regular use of certain terms like "kill" and "dead" in serious matters.

In truth I would just explain why i like anime. It really is nothing like Spongebob. Its cool action and the stories tend to be more mature. People fight, people talk, people laugh, people cry, and sometimes people die. Fight demons and monsters or deal with real life. They seem much seem more human and not just a cartoon character who gets squished by a hammer in one scene and are fine 2 seconds later. Even the silliest of anime characters have something about them that's relate-able to some human value. And then you get some badass character who would be from a R rated movie that would never seriously make its way into a regular cartoon. Its anime but there's all kinds of stuff in it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
EireformContinent



Joined: 30 May 2009
Posts: 977
Location: Łódź/Poland (The Promised Land)
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 1:18 pm Reply with quote
Leave them alone, seriously. Even goose starts to vomit, when it has food forced down the throat.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Ortensia1980



Joined: 31 Aug 2011
Posts: 803
Location: some town near Amsterdam
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 1:48 pm Reply with quote
Some people just have this misconception that cartoons/anime are childish so maybe if you showed them something mature and bloody, that might help change their minds. My brother thought that anime was for kids as well, but I managed to change his mind by showing him Future Diary and Deadman Wonderland.

But sometimes, they just won't like or watch it no matter what you say. A friend of mine refuses to watch anime because the eyes freak her out... Rolling Eyes
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
st_owly



Joined: 20 May 2008
Posts: 5234
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 1:56 pm Reply with quote
Ortensia1980 wrote:


But sometimes, they just won't like or watch it no matter what you say. A friend of mine refuses to watch anime because the eyes freak her out... Rolling Eyes


Show her Uta no Prince-sama then Laughing

On a more serious note, pick a show similar to what your friend enjoys anyway. They like thriller/drama, then try Monster. They like romance/drama, try Fruits Basket. You get the idea. If they don't like a certain genre, don't bother trying them on that genre in anime form.


Last edited by st_owly on Thu May 09, 2013 2:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Ghost_Wheel



Joined: 30 Jan 2013
Posts: 203
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 2:08 pm Reply with quote
Tuor_of_Gondolin wrote:
Show them Episode 1 of Cowboy Bebop.


Of all the shows I've seen, this seems to have been the most accessible to the kinds of people you're talking about.(From personal experience) Additionally, the show has a good dub, and people resistant to aniime will usually also be resistant to subs, so find a show with a passable dub and bear with it.

If you know what kind of movies or books they like, finding a good anime series in that genre is the best way to get them hooked. Chaces are, they just haven't seen a story they like from that medium yet.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Riddley



Joined: 14 May 2011
Posts: 536
Location: Ireland
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 2:28 pm Reply with quote
I had my brother-in-law watch AnoHana and he couldn't stop watching till the end.

I would also say Steins;Gate would be good too. But it all depends on their viewing tastes. If they like sci-fi/fantasy, or do they prefer rom-coms, dramedys, crime?

I think Summer Wars is a pretty decent film to start non-anime watches with that's not a Studio Ghibli film.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
BesuDesu



Joined: 11 Mar 2013
Posts: 89
Location: Florida
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 2:44 pm Reply with quote
Well... Take into considerations their taste first. If they enjoy art and media in general, then show them something intelligent like Kino's Journey or Paranoia Agent. If they enjoy seeing culture, show them Princess Mononoke or some sort of story really based on eastern concepts and culture. You don't wanna get someone into a 13-25 episode commitment of something they don't like, and just putting them off to anime forever. Overall, don't base what you would show them on your taste. Be a friend and adhere to what they would like, or what they may watch might turn them off totally.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> General -> Anime All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
Page 1 of 3

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group